Sorry Horn, Manny wants McGregor

AS Jeff Horn prepares for his return to the boxing ring in three weeks, Manny Pacquiao appears to be looking elsewhere.

Horn will defend the WBO welterweight title he ripped from the Filipino champion in July against the UK's Gary Corcoran (17-1) in Brisbane on December 13.

The match-up was made after Horn and Pacquiao couldn't agree to terms for a rematch this year - and Pacman continues to show little interest in taking revenge on the Aussie.

Pacquiao sent waves around the fight world on Friday with an unexpected Instagram call-out of UFC star Conor McGregor.

Perhaps aware of the limited number of fights left in his career at age 38, Pacquiao threw his hat in the ring for one of the most lucrative names in combat sports with a gentlemanly offer of a "real boxing match".

The Filipino senator joins a long list of boxers hoping to draw McGregor back into the ring after the huge financial success of his debut against Floyd Mayweather in August.

Retired legend Oscar De La Hoya recently claimed he'd been secretly training in the hope of fighting the Irishman, who he said he could knock out inside two rounds.

Horn has also tried his hand via his promoter Dean Lonergan, who suggested it was in the realms of possibility they could draw McGregor to Australia.

"We'd love to have Manny Pacquiao down here (again), he's certainly one of the guys on the table," Lonergan told the ABC last month.

"There's been some murmurings and rumblings that perhaps we could get Conor McGregor down here.

"I would put the challenge out to Conor McGregor - tell me how much you want it and we'll see if we can make it work."

Conor McGregor was outclassed by Floyd Mayweather in a TKO defeat.

All the noise from the McGregor camp since his loss to Mayweather has indicated his next fight will be in the UFC - where he is still yet to defend the lightweight championship he won more than 12 months ago - but his return has been delayed by a recent incident at a Bellator card where he stormed into the cage and abused a referee.

Until McGregor and the UFC actually announce a fight his name will continue to be sprouted by the likes of Pacquiao. But it's debatable whether the Filipino's callout is cause for thanksgiving - or makes him look like a turkey.